There is no denying that the 2023-24 season was a major disappointment for the team. Milwaukee Bucks. Considered by many to be a real threat to win the Larry O’Brien TrophyThey ended up catching fire in the first round of the playoffs despite Damian Lillard Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury (he didn’t play at all in the Bucks’ six-game series loss to the Pacers) didn’t help matters.
But now, in year two of the Lillard-Antetokounmpo partnership, they’re running out of excuses, says an ESPN expert. Kendrick Perkins. Perkins challenged Lillard to help the Bucks reach the NBA Finals, like nothing less than that would constitute a major failure on the part of the superstar point guard.
“Now we’re starting a new season, a training camp under Doc Rivers. Dame’s under pressure. In the Eastern Conference where the Knicks have improved, the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, are there, Philly is there, it’s time for Dame to step up,” Perkins said on NBA Today. “When you have a guy like Giannis Antetokounmpo, just making the playoffs or the conference finals is not enough.”
Additionally, Perkins said Lillard needs to be held to the same standard as other superstars. Now that he has plenty of help on this Bucks team, with a bona fide superstar in Antetokounmpo and a rock-solid third option in Khris Middleton alongside him, Lillard has no excuses when it comes to delivering the goods in Milwaukee come playoff time.
“When you look around the league, when you look at all the [stars] “At his age, we put a lot of pressure on these guys to go out there and bring home a title. We have to keep that same energy with Damian Lillard,” Perkins added.
Indeed, a higher level of stability should do Lillard and the Bucks a lot of good. Last season, both teams had to undergo major transitions, with Lillard uproots his life having spent his entire career to that point with the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Bucks have made two coaching changes in less than a year.
But the Eastern Conference won’t be a walk in the park, and the Bucks better prepare for the tough road ahead.
Can Damian Lillard and the Bucks strike gold in year two of their partnership?
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One of the major issues the Bucks faced last season was their shoddy perimeter defense. Switching from Jrue Holiday to Damian Lillard took away The Bucks’ defensive backbone on the perimeterforcing Milwaukee to adopt a new system and overhaul the way the team operates.
At the very least, the Bucks should have a few more reliable players this season than they did last season. Delon Wright is an underrated defender and playmaker, and he should help counter Milwaukee’s sluggish perimeter resistance. Meanwhile, Taurean Prince may not be the most exciting player in the world to watch, but as far as bench players at 3 and 4 go, Prince is solid — as long as he’s not tasked with doing too much.
Perhaps MarJon Beauchamp or Andre Jackson Jr. could be brought in to play a bigger role, or maybe AJ Johnson will defy expectations and become a major part of the team on the wing. Either way, expect the Bucks to be one of the best teams in the East, as the presence of Antetokounmpo and Lillard is more than enough to keep them atop the conference.